1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dish washing machine. More particularly, to a dish washing machine in which a water supplying unit and a level detecting unit are improved to precisely and rapidly detect a level of washing water.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional dish washing machine includes a washing pump, a plurality of jet nozzles, and a washing water pipe to connect the washing pump to the jet nozzles, which are installed in a tub in which dishes are washed, and jet washing water of high pressure to the dishes accommodated in a dish basket to wash the dishes.
The dish washing machine further includes a level detecting unit for supplying the washing water lower than a predetermined level and a water supplying unit for supplying the washing water to the tub, for communicating the tub to the exterior, and for making equilibrium between the inner pressure of the tub and the exterior such that the dishes are washed well in the tub.
As an example of a conventional dish washing machine including the water supplying unit and the level detecting unit is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2005-0105721.
The water supplying unit of the conventional dish washing machine includes a water passage for introducing the water into the water supplying unit, a connector for supplying the washing water passing through the water passage to a sump installed in the lower side of the tub, a flow meter disposed on the water passage to measure the flow rate of the supplied washing water, and a level detecting unit disposed in the upper side of the connector between the water passage and the connector to prevent the washing water from being supplied above a predetermined level in the tub.
The level detecting unit includes a floater elevated and lowered as the level rises and lowers in the tub, and a floater lever and a micro-switch disposed in the upper side of the floater and driven by the floater, to prevent the washing water from being supplied into the tub above a predetermined level.
Thus, when the washing water is supplied to the water supplying unit from an exterior water source, the washing water is supplied into the tub through the connector via the flow-meter and the floater along the water passage. The supplying of the washing water is stopped, when the flow-meter measures the level and it is determined that the tub is filled with an adequate quantity of the washing water.
If the flow rate of the washing water is inaccurately measured by the flow-meter so that the tub is filled with the washing water to a limit level, the floater and the floater lever ascend to drive the micro-switch so that the supplying of the washing water may be stopped.
On the other hand, dirt separated from the dishes during the washing of the dishes are attached to a connector hose for connecting the water supplying unit to the tub. Since the dirt is washed and delivered to the tub by the washing water supplied from the water supplying unit to the tub, problems such as the washing water not being smoothly supplied due to the connector hose clogged by the dirt and the floater of the lever detecting unit not being movable due to the dirt attached thereto are prevented.
However, in the conventional dish washing machine, since the level detecting unit is disposed between the water passage and the connector in the water supplying unit such that the washing water introduced into the water passage is supplied to the tub through the level detecting unit and the connector, when the water source supplies the washing water at a high pressure, the floater moves upwardly due to the water pressure and the micro-switch may malfunction though the level of the tub is lower than the limit level.
Particularly, since the floater ascends and the level detecting unit may malfunction when a large amount of the washing water passes through the connector at once via the water passage and the level detecting unit, the overall performance of the dish washing machine is deteriorated.